World at a dangerous crossroad: Clinton

Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton fears the rise of authoritarianism and illiberal democracies like Russia has left the world at a dangerous crossroads.

Speaking in Sydney on the second and final night of her fleeting visit to Australia to promote her book about her failure to defeat Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election, Mrs Clinton warned of the "rising tide of illiberalism", particularly in Asia.

Mrs Clinton said liberal democracies like Australia and the US were locked in a global struggle with illiberal democracies, countries where while people may get to vote, they have few civil liberties and lack full knowledge about the activities of those in power.

She said Russian President Vladimir Putin's authoritarianism was "rippling out from the Kremlin" and emboldening right-wing nationalists, separatists, racists, and neo Nazis across Europe and beyond.

"I believe our world is at a crossroads and what we do next week not only as governments but as business leaders, media, influencers and ordinary citizens matters enormously," Mrs Clinton said on Friday.

"In Asia we see strains of illiberalism challenges confronting democracies in places like the Philippines and Cambodia and in (Chinese) President Xi's recent effort to abolish term limits and consolidate power.

"The consequences of democratic backsliding in this region have enormous global significance."